Wolfsburg defeat Inter Milan to reach Europa League quarterfinals

Wolfsburg progressed to the last eight of the Europa League with a 2-1 second-leg victory away to Roberto Mancini's Inter Milan.

Daniel Caligiuri scored in the first half at the San Siro -- and then, after Rodrigo Palacio had given Inter fleeting hope, Nicklas Bendtner made sure for the Germans with just two minutes remaining.

Dieter Hecking's Bundesliga front-runners were therefore 5-2 aggregate winners after last week's success on their home patch.

Inter had more than their share of possession in the first half, but it was more often Wolfsburg who threatened where it mattered.

It was the hosts who had the first chance of the match, Hernanes' shot from outside the area brining a save from Diego Benaglio in the fifth minute.

Caligiuri's left-foot volley inside the box at the other end then bounced into the ground and over the bar.

Wolfsburg kept pressing, though, and Kevin De Bruyne's through ball in the ninth minute found Bas Dos -- who was foiled when Juan Carrizo was smartly out to block.

Benaglio did well, low to his left, to keep Inter out when striker Mauro Icardi produced a good right-foot shot barely a minute before Wolfsburg went in front.

Nicklas Bendtner, second from right, celebrates with his teammates after scoring Wolfsburg's final goal on Thursday.

De Bruyne's cross from the left found Caligiuri -- whose shot was half-saved by Carrizo but looped into the net.

Just after the half-hour, Luiz Gustavo again tested Carrizo -- who was up to the task to keep out a shot from 20 yards.

De Bruyne had another attempt kept out in the 37th minute, low to Carrizo's left, but Fredy Guarin had a chance to level from close range after a corner right on half-time -- only for Benaglio to intervene brilliantly.

On 65 minutes, an outstanding run by Palacio culminated in a low shot which was on target but very well saved with his feet by Benaglio.

There was still a threat from Inter, though.

Hernanes' low left-footer from the edge of the area just snaked wide.

Then with 20 minutes left, it was level on the night when brilliant inter-play between Palacio and Hernanes resulted in a right-foot volley inside the box from the striker.

But Wolfsburg weathered the relative storm, and Bendtner made sure with his late goal -- a well-controlled right-footed shot from inside the area which again bounced through Carrizo.